Biden, Kerry to Roll Out Climate-Focused Initiatives

President Biden will roll out his initiative to address climate change Wednesday, with executive orders that will suspend new oil and gas leases on federal land and commit the government to new conservation and social justice initiatives.

The move is a first step toward fulfilling Mr. Biden’s campaign pledge to stop drilling on federal territory. It applies to both onshore and offshore leasing and directs the Interior Secretary to “launch a rigorous review of all existing leasing and permitting practices related to fossil fuel,” according to a summary from the White House.

The orders underscore Mr. Biden’s intent to treat climate change as both an environmental crisis and an economic opportunity. Starting his first day in office he began ordering reviews of Trump-era environmental rollbacks, saying the U.S. economy needs stronger rules spur a transition from fossil fuel to cleaner energy.

An order set to be signed Wednesday afternoon will direct the Interior Secretary to identify steps to double offshore wind production by 2030.

It calls for a new revamp of the Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps to employ Americans on climate-focused public works projects like reforestation. And it sets a goal for delivering 40% of the benefits of all federal spending to disadvantaged communities.

The order is already causing friction with the oil industry, which considers Mr. Biden’s attempt to slow federal leasing a major threat to its future. Mr. Biden’s reviews have focused heavily on his predecessor Donald Trump’s efforts, which aimed at easing restrictions on the oil industry. The industry now sees Mr. Biden’s early agenda as an attempt to shrink its longstanding place in the U.S. economy.